Break the Chain: Stop Wildlife Traffickers Using our City

“Break the Chain” is an innovative city-wide mural campaign launched by ADMCF and A.L.A.N (a collective art group) using Augmented Reality (AR) to bring to life street art of animals trafficked through Hong Kong such as rhinos, pangolins, sharks. Using Instagram filters, the project will bring to life murals depicting critically endangered species.  We aim to build an emotional connection with the public and awareness of the biodiversity we are at risk of losing via the illegal wildlife trade.

The campaign also aims to raise public support for a Members Bill currently being considered by the government to incorporate wildlife crime offences into Hong Kong’s Organised and Serious Crimes Ordinance (OSCO). Elevating wildlife crimes to OSCO is crucial in deterring wildlife criminals and giving law enforcements greater powers to bring wildlife traffickers to justice.

As part of the campaign and to support passage of the bill, ADMCF aims to collect 10,000 + signatures from concerned citizens. The petition can be accessed via Breakthechain.link, a mini-site accessed via QR codes on the murals.

Update August 18th 2021: The Bill had its first reading in March 2021 followed by its second and third in August when it effectively passed into law after Hong Kong’s lawmakers voted in favour of tackling wildlife crimes as the serious and organised crimes they truly are. By taking this bold move, Hong Kong is not only showing global leadership, but is signaling that we will no longer stand by and let wildlife traffickers exploit our city, devastate wildlife populations and steal natural resources that impact local communities and national economies worldwide.

Without the tenacity of members of the Wildlife Trade Working Group and the foresight of Ms Quat, it is unlikely that Hong Kong would have made such a momentous decision. Learn more about the passage of the bill on August 18th, PDF press release in English, PDF press release in Traditional Chinese